Spanning an expansive area of 175,164 square meters, the mosque features a centrally air-conditioned hall where up to 11,000 men can comfortably participate in prayers. Additionally, a generously sized enclosure adjacent to the central hall accommodates 1,200 women. The mosque boasts three primary entrances and 17 side entrances. The central hall is adorned with 28 large domes, while the outer quadrangle is crowned with 65 domes.[8] On the whole the mosque can hold a congregation of 30,000 people.[6]
The mosque was opened in 2011, with the Emir of Qatar presiding over the occasion.[5][6] In 2012, the mosque banned children from entering the mosque during tarawih prayers in the month of Ramadhan. This resulted in parents arguing with security staff.[9]
A female worshiper accompanying a toddler complained that they were turned away from sunset prayers (when the mosque was fairly empty). When she protested, she was offered a prayer rug and shown to a corner near the ablution room, but was still not allowed to go upstairs to pray.[10] Male worshipers had similar complaints.[10]
In 2013 the ban was reinstated, causing further outrage among mosque attendees.[9]
Mohamad al-Arefe said that Syria jihad is incumbent and did apologia for the militant Islamist group al-Nusra Front, visiting the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque.[11]
In a Sermon at Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque, Sa'ad Ateeq al-Ateeq delivered a sermon, calling for the end of Jews and Christians by the hands of God and called for Muslims and Islam to be exalted by God in February 2013.[12][13] On 2 October 2013, at the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque, Sa'ad Ateeq al-Ateeq again called for the destruction of Christians and Jews and called for Muslims and Islam to be exalted.[14] In February 2014, the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs (Qatar) tweeted that the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque was hosting another sermon by al-Ateeq.[15] On 6 July 2014, during Ramadan, al-Ateeq preached at the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque.[16] On 9 July 2014 al-Ateeq also gave another Ramadan sermon at the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque.[17] Sa'ad Ateeq al-Ateeq has called for the destruction of Shias, Christians, Nusayris (Alawites), and Jews and called for Muslims and Islam to be exalted in the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque in January 2015.[18][19] This was advertised on the website of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs (Qatar)[20] and on the official Twitter account of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs (Qatar)[21] His January 2015 sermon in the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque was advertised by al-Ateeq on his Twitter.[22] The Foundation for Defense of Democracies,[23]The Daily Beast,[24] and Foreign Policy magazine have run articles on Al-Ateeq and his views, with Foreign Policy having compiled a large documentation of his government sponsored activities at this Mosque.[25]
In 2017, there has been a request published on the Saudi Arabian newspaper Okaz signed by 200 descendants of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab to change the name of the mosque, because according to their statement "it does not carry its true Salafi path", even though most Qataris adhere to Wahhabism.[26][27][28]
